More in Common
by Robin Logan
Summary: After Gwen and Kevin left, a part of him left too. At first, he tried to be happy for them. Fake it till you make it, right? Then Rook came along, and he became bitter. That bitterness only grew. (trigger warnings. mentions of suicide and selfharm.)


He tried.

Heck, he tried. After Gwen and Kevin left, a part of him left too. At first, he tried to be happy for them. Fake it till you make it, right?

Then Rook came along, and he became bitter. That bitterness only grew.

He liked to think he became something like friends with Rook since then though. And it was a good distraction from the crippling pain he felt in his chest. Sometimes he felt like Rook even knew he was suffering.

Like he was grieving someone he lost.

But...he didn't lose anyone, did he? No, Gwen and Kevin were alive and well. So why did he feel so much pain? Why would he have breakdowns in the middle of the night?

Maybe it didn't have much to do with them leaving though. After all, after they left, things became quiet in general. The burden of being a hero had weighed down on him. He couldn't do it alone, and he didn't care if Rook and the plumbers were with him. Rook wasn't there in the beginning. He didn't know Ben's story. Not really. He didn't get him like Gwen did. Sure, Max did, but did he even count? It wasn't like Ben saw him that often anymore anyways. He wasn't even sure if Max cared for him anymore at this rate.

Memories of the old days when he was ten flashed in his mind, like those days were right there in front of his eyes.

_Another slice._

Gwen and him bickering with each other played through his mind. Back when days were so much more simple...

_A deeper slice._

He gritted his teeth, the release of his physical pain barely even scratching the surface of the deep-rooted grief that ran through his veins. A small voice echoed in the corner of his mind that he should stop before he bled to death.

That small voice was immediately crushed by a louder one.

_Why bother living anymore?_

He glanced up from his arm to see the red pool of blood that surrounded his shaking frame in the cold night air of some abandoned alley in Bellwood. Only then did he realize how dizzy he had gotten.

He could feel his consciousness fading away. Either from being so tired or because of the blood loss.

He didn't care...

So what if he died right here tonight? At least every one would finally understand. His fans and enemies.

It just hurt so much...

* * *

"Three AM on Christmas morning and the great Tennyson attempts to take his own life. I never saw it coming."

Ben blinked, sitting up slightly and looking around. The room was dark, so it took a moment for his eyes to adjust before he realized he was in a hospital room.

The shock of this fact made him swallow hard. How...how was he still alive?

He slowly glanced around the room before seeing a figure across the side of his bed, leaning on the wall. He squinted at them to see who it was, but realized they were wearing a coat, a hood concealing their face.

"W-who are you?" Ben asked, his voice cracky due to his throat being dry. He coughed into his hand, wondering if he was feverish. His skin felt burning hot.

The figure slowly approached him, pulling their hood down.

Ben widened his eyes, raising his arm and getting ready to smash down on the Omnitrix. "Albedo!"

The white haired look-alike quickly covered Ben's Omxintrix with his pale hand. "I wouldn't do that if I were you. Your body is already weak enough. You realize you lost a lot of blood right? Besides, that's no way to treat your savior."

Ben tensed, not liking the fact that his enemy was so close to him like this. But Albedo's words made him too curious to care right now.

"Wait...you were the one who found me?"

Albedo nodded in response. "I was trying to stay on the empty side of town to avoid attraction. Apparently you were too."

"W-wait, and you what, called an ambulance? Why?" Ben continued to question.

"Because Tennyison, I'm your enemy. I'm supposed to make you miserable, even if that means forcing you to continue suffering through your little life." Albedo answered him with a smirk.

Ben frowned, shaking his head. "No, that makes no sense. Surely you would've just taken this watch off my arm and let me bleed me to death. What do you want?"

Albedo fell silent, looking down. Ben glared at him, waiting for his response. But..his reply wasn't what he expected.

"Redemption."

Ben stared at him in confusion. "Your kidding..."

Albedo sat down on the chair next to the hospital bed, staring out of the window. The sky was still dark, but it was clear the sun was waking up now.

"I'm serious. I couldn't care less about that stupid watch. I've lost everything, and for what? To be a hero? When all I became to-humanity to my home planet-is a monster. An outcast. I want nothing more then to go back to how things used to be. If...if I had known I was going to be so lonely in the end, I would've never intervened. I wish for nothing more then to start over. But I can't, because I'm a well known villain now. I just want redemption."

Ben frowned, looking down at the white sheets that covered his scared legs. Well...it seemed believable enough. He slowly leaned back in his bed. He didn't care anymore anyways. Even if Albedo decided he wanted to kill him, he had no objections.

"Tennyson. Why did you do it?" Albedo's quiet voice asked in the dark room.

Ben didn't need a clarification to what he was talking about. "I don't know."

"You don't know? Every time we encountered each other, you were full of confidence. You seemed to enjoy yourself immensely in just about every singly battle. What changed?" Albedo furthered questioned him.

Ben's vision began to blur, and he felt a tear trickle down his cheek. "I guess...after Gwen and Kevin left. I just became to lonely. And then I realized what it meant." His voice cracked, more tears streaming down his face. He inhaled sharply, needing to finish his sentence."I knew what it meant to be a hero. The life of loneliness. And now-now I couldn't care less about this stupid watch. I wish I could start over. Then maybe, I could still be with Gwen. But I can't, because I'm a well known hero." He said through tears. He tried to calm himself down, but...it just hurt so much.

The room fell silent, other then his own sniffles and sobs. He was surprised Albedo didn't mock him. He could, seeing the famous hero crying like a child. Seeing what Ben really was now-a pathetic teenager who couldn't even save himself. He had every advantage, so why didn't he make fun of him?

Maybe it was because of his next words...

"When we first met, I thought you were an arrogant child. Now I see we have more in common then just our features."

Ben wiped at his face with the sleeve of his arm. Well...he supposed Albedo may have been right...but he never expected to get along or relate to his enemy like that.

Yet here they were together, both feeling alone right now. Both actually getting along for once. It was almost comforting, but he wasn't sure what he was going to do about Albedo later. And he wasn't sure what he was going to say to his parents, or Rook. He imagined that they'd find out one way or another eventually, if they haven't already. And Gwen and Kevin probably would as well.

For now Ben didn't want to think about any of that though. He just wanted to continue sitting here in his own misery, with Albedo.


End file.
